Vanilla Peach Bundt Cake with Bourbon Peach Syrup

I know, I know. I'm supposed to be sharing recipes for pumpkin desserts and soups that simmer in crockpots all day and that perfect football party dip. It is September after all. But I just couldn't resist sharing one last summer treat with you.

This cake. This cake is lick the bowl, scrape the pan, hoard the leftovers good.

It's actually the first bundt cake I've ever made, and though I maybe hyperventilated a little bit in the few seconds it took to invert it out of the pan, it turned out beautiful. And the taste, MY WORD, the taste! Just slightly sweet, packed with vanilla flavor, and with a lovely ribbon of fresh peaches throughout, this is just about all I can ask for in a dessert.

Oh, except maybe bourbon. But wait! I added it into the syrup. Which, by the way, makes far more than you actually need for the cake. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT halve the recipe. Because once you taste that warm bourbony peach syrup you may just want to put it on everything in sight--ice cream, pancakes, yogurt, oatmeal. Or just eat it straight from the pan. Not that I did that or anything.

Vanilla Peach Bundt Cake with Bourbon Peach Syrup
Yield: Anywhere from 12-24 slices depending on your appetite
Recipe adapted from Week of Menus

Ingredients:
For the cake:
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature (set out of the fridge for about 30 minutes)
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract (I splurged and used Bourbon Barrel Extract for a little added flavor)
1 cup sour cream
2 cups diced fresh peaches

For the syrup:
1/2 cup fresh peach puree
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons bourbon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and lightly flour a ten inch bundt pan.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on medium high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually add sugar. Beat on medium high speed until mixture is light colored and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
6. Beat in vanilla extract.
7. At low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by half of the sour cream mixture. Repeat, ending on the flour mixture. Beat on medium low speed until well combined.
8. Spoon half of mixture into bundt pan, spreading evenly. Layer with fresh diced peaches. Spoon the remaining batter over top of peaches.
9. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet. Invert cake onto cooling rack.
10. Meanwhile, make sauce. In a small saucepan combine peach puree, bourbon, and sugar. Heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat.
11. Using a pastry brush, brush syrup all over cake. Wait a few minutes for the syrup to soak in, then repeat. You can do this as much or as little as you want. I did the whole cake about three times. Serve slightly warm with whipped cream, ice cream, and/or additional peach syrup.